Aftermath
by Sherlock's Sparrow
Summary: conclusion to Sheriff's Secret Series. Robin may have escaped the Sheriff's clutches, but the drama's not over yet UPDATE: Ch.6 finally!
1. One Month Later

**Aftermath**

**By: Sherlock's Sparrow**

**Disclaimer: **Do I even need to say it?

* * *

**Chapter One: One Month Later**

_Hands._ _There were hands everywhere. Holding, touching, grabbing, fondling, caressing, hurting. Oh, yes, there was pain; lots of pain. And, cold, too. Eight or ten men were laughing cruelly and jeering at him._

"_How do ya like that?" "Does that feel good?" "Do ye like me inside ye?" "You're nuthin' but a dirty whore." "Yea, whore!"_

Marian was trying to wake Robin. He was having another nightmare, and was tossing around from side to side, and quietly moaning. At last, she succeeded. Robin sat up and looked around, blinking his blue eyes.

"You were having a nightmare," she said.

"Yes," said Robin, with a small shiver.

"What was it about?"

Robin shook his head.

"I don't want to talk about it."

He never told anyone what he dreamed about that was so upsetting. He hadn't said much about his last stay at Nottingham Castle, either. Robin was quieter now; more withdrawn.

"I'm going to cook breakfast," said Marian, moving over to the fire pit.

"I'm not hungry," said Robin.

That wasn't surprising. He only ate one or two meals lately and then pushed most of it around his bowl.

Will awoke soon after. He joined Marian by the fire.

"How is he?" asked Will.

"The same," replied Marian.

She sighed.

"I wish there was something I could do to help him," she said.

"You _are _helping," said Will, "right now, you're being a better help than any of us."

The smell of cooking food got John up. Shamir woke seconds later. Much was last to wake. Marian and the men (minus Robin) ate their meal in silence. Robin was still sitting on his bedroll, and scratching around in the dirt with a small stick.

"Robin's sad," said Much.

"'Course 'e is," said John, "look at wot's 'appened to 'im lately."

Much nodded.

"'e's diff'rent," he added.

The others agreed. Marian put her hand on Much's shoulder.

"I know," she said, "but hopefully, it's not a permanent change."

Robin knew the others were probably talking about him. It didn't matter. They talked about him a lot. They were worried about him, but he didn't understand why. He didn't deserve their worry. Not after what had happened. He had tried to resign as leader, but the others had insisted he not. He didn't think he was a good leader, and was quite surprised to find he was the only one who thought any of these things.

Having consumed half of her meal, Marian walked back over to Robin and sat next to him. She held out her bowl.

"Hungry?" she asked.

"No," said Robin.

"You didn't eat yesterday," she pointed out.

"I wasn't hungry yesterday."

"Still, you _have_ to eat. Promised you'll at least _try_ to eat sometime today?"

"I promised I'll try, if it worries you that much," replied Robin.

"Good," said Marian, "I can't have you waste away to nothing."


	2. The Blame Game

**Chapter Two: The Blame Game**

Robin was sitting against a tree, reflecting on the recent events of his life.

"Deep in thought?" Will asked, standing some distance away.

Robin turned slightly to look at him.

"Hello, Will," he said.

"Mind if I sit down?" asked Will.

"Not at all," said Robin.

Will sat, keeping his distance. The two sat in silence for several minutes.

"Was there anything in particular you wanted?" asked Robin, at last.

"Uh…not really," answered Will, in surprise.

"Oh," said Robin.

There was another silence.

"How are you feeling?" asked Will.

"I'm fine," replied Robin.

"Everyone's worried about you," continued Will.

"You shouldn't be wasting your time," said Robin, "I don't deserve your worry."

Will frowned.

"Why not?" he asked.

"You saw what I did in the castle," answered Robin, looking down at his feet.

Will moved closer to his friend and laid a hand on his shoulder. Robin gasped and scooted a few inches away. Will dropped his hand to his lap.

"Sorry," Will apologized.

"It's alright," said Robin, quietly.

"Well, Robin," said Will, "you did nothing wrong. You did whatever you had to do to save your men. You should be proud."

"Pride," remarked Robin with a scoff, "what do I have to be proud of? The Sheriff treated me like I was his own personal whore. And I let him. I have nothing to be proud of, Will. _Nothing."_

"Don't say that, Robin," said Will, "you've done plenty of deeds to be proud of. Do not think on your last visit to Nottingham."

* * *

Robin eventually left, leaving Will alone by the tree with his thoughts. He thought about their last conversation and sighed. _Poor Robin._ _Why? Why did it have to be him? He didn't deserve it; any of it._

"Have you seen Robin, Will?" asked Marian.

"What?" asked Will, "oh, yes. He left here a little while ago. I don't know where he went."

"Oh. Thank you," she said.

"I tried to help him feel better, but I don't think I did a very good job," added Will, "I feel responsible for what happened."

"There's nothing you could have done to prevent it," said Marian.

'Yes, I could have," replied Will, "I had suspected for quite some time of the Sheriff's…feelings…for Robin. If I had acted then, I could have stopped this from happening."

"You don't know that for certain," said Marian, "you shouldn't blame yourself."

No matter what Marian said, Will still felt responsible for Robin's kidnapping and torture. He was certain Robin didn't blame him. From their last meeting, Will got the impression that Robin blamed himself for the entire incident, but Will knew better. It was his fault. If he had warned Robin before he left the forest, he would have been prepared for an ambush by the Sheriff. Will didn't know why Robin didn't blame him. It didn't make sense to him.

* * *

Marian couldn't believe how Robin and Will were each blaming themselves for what had happened to Robin. It was nobody's fault. Well, it was really the Sheriff's fault, but it certainly was _not _Robin's fault, nor was it Will's. She had to get them to accept this. But how? She'd think about it later. Right now, she was looking for Robin. She wanted to make sure he was alright. This whole thing worried her. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do.

She heard quiet crying coming from behind a large rock.

"Robin?" she called, gently.

The crying stopped and a few seconds later, a familiar fair head appeared from over the top of the rock.

"Hello, Marian," Robin said.

"Were you just crying?" asked Marian.

"I was," replied Robin.

"Why?"

"It was nothing," said Robin, "just a bad memory."

Marian hugged Robin, who patted her back softly in return.


	3. The Others

**Chapter Three: The Others**

Will, Much, John, and Shamir were sitting together. Will told the others that Robin blamed himself for what had happened.

"Robin is not to be held responsible for the Sheriff's actions," said Shamir.

"It's not Robin's fault," spoke up John.

"I know," replied Will, "but I'm having trouble trying to convince Robin."

"We must convince Robin that he is innocent of those atrocious deeds," said Shamir.

Will agreed.

"We still need to git back at the Sheriff for…doin'…wot 'e did to Robin," added John, angrily.

Much suddenly stood up and ran off.

Will followed. He soon caught up with Much. Much was sitting with his back against a slender sapling, with his knees drawn up with his chest. He was sniffling.

"What's wrong, Much?" asked Will, in concern.

"I remember when we rescued Robin," said Much, with a shudder.

He squeezed his eyes shut.

"It was awful."

"I know," said Will, "but it's all over now. Robin's alright."

"No," disagreed Much, "he's not. Not really."

Will couldn't argue with that.

"He will be," replied Will instead, "he will be."

Will left Much at the sapling and returned to his previous spot with John and Shamir. Marian had joined them.

"I heard Much is upset," she said.

Will nodded.

"This whole business with the Sheriff has upset him," he replied.

"I feel the same," said Marian, "although, I should be grateful that I did not see any of it for myself."

"You're right about that," agreed John.

"Robin's alright for the moment," said Marian.

"Good news at last," commented Shamir.

Much rejoined the group just in time for supper. Robin soon joined them.

"Would you like supper, Robin?" asked Marian.

Robin thought about it for a minute and said, "Alright."

Marian smiled, pleased at the response.

Marian's pleasure soon faded, however, as Robin only ate a few mouthfuls and pushed the rest of his food around in the bowl.

"Are you finished eating?" asked Marian, worried.

"Yes," replied Robin, "I guess I'm not as hungry as I thought."

She sighed and collected his bowl and spoon.

That night, Robin had yet another nightmare. This time, it starred the Sheriff of Nottingham himself.

* * *

"_Lady Marian is quite lucky to have snared you, Loxley," said the Sheriff, looking at Robin's nude body hungrily._

_Robin glared at the Sheriff, but said nothing in return._

"_Tell me, Loxley," continued the Sheriff, "is she still a maid, or have you and your men deflowered her, yet?"_

"_Don't talk about Marian in that manner," growled Robin._

"_I imagine she has a hard time keeping her hands to herself, but who could blame her?" commented the Sheriff, sitting beside Robin and placing a hand on his thigh. _

_Robin jumped off the bed. The Sheriff followed suit._

"_You'll make her very happy some day, when you two actually lie together," continued the Sheriff._

_Robin pressed himself closer to the wall and hissed, "I said not to talk about her in that fashion!"_

"_But, I don't see how she could __**ever **__love you, after what you've done," the Sheriff concluded, ending with a kiss to Robin's lips._

* * *

Marian awoke to the sound of Robin sobbing.

"Robin, what is it?" she asked, moving over to sit beside him.

He scooted away from her and hugged himself.

"I had an unpleasant dream, but I'm fine now," he said, not looking at her.

"Are you sure?" she asked, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

Robin shrugged her hand off.

"I'm sure," he said, and lay back down on his bed roll.

* * *

After Robin was asleep again, Marian sat and watched him for a bit. He was sleeping peacefully now, but for how long was uncertain. It was pretty quiet in the forest, which meant Little John was currently on watch. Robin and Marian were on one side of the fire pit, with about two or three feet between their bed rolls. Will, Much, and Shamir were on the other side of the pit. Will was lying on his side, with his cape wrapped around a rock as a pillow. Much made quiet snuffling noises as he slept, and Shamir slept with one hand on his scimitar. Robin suddenly shifted position, still fast asleep, causing Marian to look back over at him. He was laying on his back now, his golden hair falling over his face, much like a curtain. She watched the steady rise and fall of his chest for several more minutes, until she, too, fell back asleep. 


	4. Robin and Marian

**Author's Note: **Now, I don't want to sound bossy or like I'm trying to tell people what to do, but since there _is _an actual section for the BBC Robin Hood in Television, could people please stop posting BBC Robin Hood fics in Books? Thank you. **

* * *

****Chapter Four: Robin and Marian**

Robin had been keeping to himself more than usual lately. He even had been avoiding Marian. She was determined to find out why. She looked for him. She found him a distance from their camp, under the shelter of a large tree. He was sitting with his back against the trunk, and his knees drawn level with his chest. His arms were wrapped around his knees.

"Robin?" she asked, approaching.

"What?" he asked, not bothering to turn and look at her.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" she asked.

"Isn't that what you want?" asked Robin.

"No," replied Marian, "how could you think such a thing?"

Robin didn't answer. He just hugged himself tighter.

Marian sat beside him. She gently touched his shoulder.

"I want to help you, Robin," she said, "I want to help end your suffering."

"Do you really?" asked Robin, dubiously.

"Of course," replied Marian, "why do you doubt me? Can't you see that I love you?"

"How can you love me, after knowing what I did?"

"You didn't do anything wrong," said Marian, "nothing you feel you did wrong at the castle could change the way I feel about you."

Robin looked at the woman seated next to him.

"Do you really mean it?" he asked, hardly daring to hope it could be true.

Marian wanted to cry at the look on Robin's face and the emotion in his voice. She wasn't sure what precisely had caused this change in him, but she knew the Sheriff had something to with it. Someone had to make sure he paid for the vile things he had done to Robin some day.

"I truly mean it," she replied, "I'll always love you, no matter what."

She enveloped Robin in a tight hug. He did not resist or push her away. Robin cried as he told Marian what the Sheriff had said about her not loving him anymore, while she just held him close and reassured him of her feelings for him.

"Ahh!"

Robin sat up and looked around. He was getting tired of waking up in the middle of the night from those damn nightmares. Marian was still asleep. At least he hadn't woken her up with his screams this time. He felt bad about waking her up with his dreams. She didn't deserve to be kept up at all hours of the night, listening to his cries of anguish. She was lying a few feet away on her back on her own bed roll, with her hands neatly folded over her heart. Her brown hair hung neatly down in loose curls. She looked very serene and innocent. He hoped she'd never experience any sort of pain remotely like the kind he had been through. He wished it on none of them, either, for that matter.


	5. Return to Normalcy

**Chapter Five: Return to Normalcy**

Another month had passed, and Robin had almost fully recovered from his experience at Nottingham Castle. He was eating better and had fewer nightmares. Everyone was glad about that; especially Robin.

Talk began again of getting revenge on the Sheriff. Robin had returned to camp after a short stroll in the forest to find his men plotting ways to get back at the Sheriff.

"What are you talking about now?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

"How we should get even with the Sheriff for…what he did…to you," answered Will.

"Wanna join us?" asked John.

Robin shook his head.

"Thank you, but no," he replied.

After Robin had left, Much said, "What was that all about?"

"It appears that Robin does not wish to exact revenge on the Sheriff," stated Shamir.

"That's odd," said John, scratching his head, "why not?"

The others merely shrugged. They were equally at a loss.

Robin immediately sought out Marian after leaving his men. He soon found her mending one of Much's tunics.

"Robin, what is it?" she asked, gazing upon Robin.

"It's nothing," he answered, "I'll be fine in a few moments."

"Robin, tell me what's wrong," demanded Marian, not angrily, "I can tell something is bothering you."

Robin shook his head.

"It's nothing, Marian. Really."

Marian set her sewing materials aside and stood up. She approached Robin. He stood with his arms crossed and looking down towards the ground. His posture was slightly more slumped than usual, and he was unusually unsure of himself. She really hated seeing him like this. It was heartbreaking.

She wrapped her arms around Robin's shoulders.

"I only want to help and I can't do that if you keep everything inside like this," she said, quietly.

Robin nodded slowly.

"I know," he replied, "I've been reliving a portion of my life that I really wish I could forget."

"The castle?" asked Marian.

"Yes. The others are plotting revenge as we speak. I know they mean well, but all they've accomplished so far is spark a series of _very _unpleasant memories," remarked Robin.

"Do you wish them to stop?" asked Marian.

"If they truly wish to seek vengeance they feel I deserve, I will not stand in their way," said Robin, "but I do not plan to be around while they do so, nor will I participate in any of their plans."

Robin was sitting high up in a tree, when Will and Much found him.

"What'cha doin', Robin?"

Robin looked down at his two friends.

"Sitting in this tree," he replied.

"What fer?" asked Much.

"Just thinking," replied Robin.

"What about?" asked Will.

"Nothing terribly important, I'm afraid," answered Robin.

Will was finishing his watch. Marian stood at the base of the tree and looked up at him.

"Robin appears to be better," commented Will.

Marian nodded.

"Yes, he does," she agreed, "but he's still not really the same."

"I doubt he ever will be," replied Will.

"I think you're right," said Marian, "I don't think _anyone _could come out of that completely unchanged. Not even Robin."

Robin was on his first watch shift since before he was kidnapped. It felt good to have regained that level of normalcy. Everything went smoothly and soon it was time for Robin to wake Much and go to sleep himself.


	6. Assault in Sherwood Forest

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait, guys, for some reason I couldn't remember finishing this chapter, and then it sort of got buried in my stack of notebooks of unfinished stories. But, at long last, the wait is over, and I present to you:

**Chapter Six: Assault in Sherwood Forest**

Will and Much didn't think it was a good idea to seek revenge on the Sheriff without Robin. Shamir decided that if Robin wasn't taking revenge on the Sheriff, he wasn't, either. John was still all for the revenge taking idea.

Robin continued to not take revenge on the Sheriff for what he did. He wanted to forget about the whole incident, and for the most part, succeeded. He still had the occasional nightmare, or flashback, but they were fewer in occurrence than before. Marian was pleased with Robin's progress and prayed for the day when he'd cease being plagued with those horrible memories.

* * *

Robin was taking a walk in Sherwood Forest one night, when he was suddenly knocked to the ground from behind. Robin kicked his attacker, with little effect. He took out a dagger and stabbed the man holding him down. The man howled in pain and released his hold on Robin. Robin quickly got to his feet. The man now stood, brandishing a shiny bit of metal.

He ran towards Robin, slashing at him with his knife. Robin jumped away, the knife grazing the back of his arm. Robin cried out in pain, and held his dagger defensively. The man hit Robin in the head. Robin stumbled back a little and hit back; dropping his knife in the process. The man shoved Robin to the ground; clawing at his face and tunic. Robin ineffectively tried to get the stranger off of him, as the man threw a length of rope around Robin's neck and flipped him over onto his stomach. Robin pulled at the rope that was choking him. There was the sound of ripping material. The man was trying to cut Robin's leggings with his knife.

"NO!" cried out Robin, struggling to get away from his attacker.

Robin finally grasped his dagger and carefully cut the rope and threw the man off of him once more. Once he was back on his feet, Robin ran back towards camp. He hadn't gotten very far, when he ran into something solid. Robin realized that he had run into a woman hanging from a tree branch, dead. She had several knife wounds and was stripped bare. Robin backed away from the corpse and ran into another body. Robin turned and saw that this one was a boy. He was exactly the same as the woman. There were others nearby. They were all women and children. He could hear the man coming, so he started running again.

* * *

The man soon caught up with Robin. They fought a bit, before the stranger gained the upper hand. Fortunately for Robin, Will Scarlet and Much appeared. Before Will and Much got a good look at Robin's attacker, the man fled the scene. Much knelt next to their fallen leader, while Will tried to chase after the stranger.

"Will!" Much called, seeing Robin's various stab wounds.

Will heard Much and ran back.

"What is it, Much?" asked Will.

Then, he noticed Robin, who was getting up.

"Will," said Robin, "Much. I certainly am pleased to see you two."

Robin's voice was a bit hoarse. Will helped Robin to stand.

"Robin, who was that? What happened?" inquired Much.

"I don't know _who _it was, Much," answered Robin, "and as for what happened, well, you can see the results for yourself."

* * *

Back at camp, much fuss was made over Robin's newest injuries. Once the knife wounds had all been tended to, Robin was seated by the fire, Marian at his side. The others were gathered nearby, discussing the attack, of course.

"Who do you think it was?" wondered Much.

"Probably someone sent by the Sheriff," commented Will.

There were murmurs of agreement (mostly from Little John), but Robin disagreed.

"No," he said, "this isn't the Sheriff's work, I'm afraid."

Robin shivered, remembering things he wished to forget.

The ever watchful Marian noticed and said, "I think it would be wise to hold this discussion another time."

"Agreed," chimed Shamir, solemnly.

* * *

Robin didn't tell them right away about the bodies in the trees. He didn't even want to think about it himself. He wanted to forget about the whole encounter, but knew his assailant _had_ to be stopped, whoever he was.

* * *


End file.
